• Ignition Switch Relocation to Motor Mount (L1971)

The Keyswitch is fed from the main Circuit Breaker. Typically, this feed wire is RED. The Keyswitch has two positions (besides OFF).

There is a RUN position & a LIGHTS position. This allows the lights to be off for starting (especially kick starting) but then can be turned on by moving the keyswitch to the second on position. But sometime in the late 70's, the MoCo began putting a shorting wire across both output connections of the Keyswitch. This meant that all the circuits are powered whenever the Keyswitch is ON, so that the lights are guaranteed to be on (basically making the keyswitch simply an ON/OFF switch). The Keyswitch labels were likely to be B - IG - L for Battery, Ignition & Lights.

Front and Rear Brake Switches
Year Model	Position	Switch Part#	Additional	Year Model	Position	Switch Part#	Additional
1959-1966	Rear	72004-52	Complete	1973-1981	Front	72001-69B	Switch only
1967-1972	Rear	72004-67	Kit with wires	1977-1978	Rear
L1969-1972	Front	71900-70	Includes terminal	1979-1985	Rear	72023-51A	Switch only
1973-1974	Rear	72004-70	Switch only	1982-1985	Front	71574-82	Includes terminal and wiring
1975-1976	Rear	72004-75	Switch only

The stock 77 rear brake light switch is a cheesy little thing that attaches to the pressed metal inner sprocket cover/brake cable mounting plate under the aluminum sprocket cover. ¹⁾ They are tiny and often get clogged up with chain gunk in there. The little flat plate sticking out from the end of the cable operates it. It mounts on a right angle metal bracket going to the quarter nut and stud above, allowing adjusment.

Rear Brake Switch (72001-69B) on 1977 XLCH.
²⁾

• Pics and Info of Speedometers and Tachometers Per Year Model

All Ironhead Sportster speedos, whether tranny driven or front wheel driven, are 2:1 ratio.
1957-72 - Transmission Driven - 2:1 Ratio Speedometers
1973-83 - 19“ Wheel Driven Right Side - 2:1 Ratio Speedometers ³⁾
1984-85 - 19” Wheel Driven Left Side - 2:1 Ratio Speedometers
. Driven Unit = 67127-84A for use with 2:1 Speedometers - (CableRPM-2000=60mphOnSpeedo)

MPH Speedometers			KPH Speedometers
Part#	Year Model	Notes	Part#	Year Model	Notes
67007-52	1952-1954 K Models	120 MPH	67008-52	1952-1956 K Models 1957-1958 Sportsters (except XLC/XLCH)	KPH
67007-54 6007-54A	1955-1956 KH 1957-1958 Sportster (except XLC/XLCH)	120 MPH	67008-52	1952-1956 K Models 1957-1958 Sportsters (except XLC/XLCH)	KPH
67007-59	1959-1964 Sportsters	120 MPH	67008-59	1959-1967 Sportsters (except XLCH initially)	KPH
67007-59A	1965-E1967 Sportsters	120 MPH	67008-59A	1959-1968 Sportsters	KPH. New part# in 1968 retrofit
67007-59B	L1967-E1969 Sportsters	150 MPH	67008-59B	1959-1969 Sportsters	KPH
67007-59C	L1969 Sportsters	150 MPH	67008-70	1970 Sportsters	KPH
67007-70	1970 Sportsters	150 MPH	67021-70	1970-1972 Sportsters	KPH
67020-70	1970-1972 Sportsters	150 MPH	67021-73	1973 Sportsters	KPH
67020-73	1973 Sportsters	150 MPH	67021-73A	1973 Sportsters	KPH update in 1976
67020-74	1974 Sportsters	150 MPH	67043-74	1974 Sportsters	KPH
67020-74A	1975-1976 Sportsters	150 MPH update retros to 1974	67043-74A	1975-1976 Sportsters	KPH update retros to 1974
67020-74B	1977-1979 Sportsters	150 MPH update retros to 1974	67043-74B	1977-1979 Sportsters	KPH update retros to 1974
67007-79	1979 XLS	120 MPH	67043-75B	1980-1981 XL 1981 XLS	KPH
67007-79A	1980 XLS	120 MPH, w/ bracket replaced 67007-79 in 1980	67043-75C	1982-1983 XL 1982 XLS	KPH supercedes 67043-75B
67020-75D	1980-1983 XL 1981-1982 XLS	85 MPH	67008-79	1979 XLS	KPH, w/ bracket
67016-83	1983 XLS 1983-1984 XLX	85 MPH, complete	67008-79A	1980 XLS	KPH
67037-83	E1984 XL	85 MPH, w/ wiring	67010-83	1983 XLS 1983-1985 XLX	KPH, complete
67061-83	1984 XLS	MPH, w/wiring	67062-83	L1983-1985 XLX 1984-1985 XLS	KPH, w/wiring
67100-83	1983-1984 XLS	MPH, complete	67101-83	1983-1985 XLS	KPH, complete
67016-85	1985 XLX	MPH, complete
67037-85	1985 XL	MPH, w/ wiring
67061-85	1985 XLS/XLX	MPH, w/wiring
67100-85	1985 XLS	MPH, complete
67037-85A	L1984-1985 XL 1985 XLS/XLX	120 MPH, w/ wiring

The mechanical speedometer on K Models / XLH from 1952-1972 and XLCH from 1959-1972 is run by a (11T) gear unit attached to the transmission. It is driven by the countershaft low gear. The drive is a round insert through the transmission casing with a beveled rotating gear on the end that meshes with the low gear. A cable is attached which of course goes to the speedometer. The speedo drive gear rotates the inner part of the cable which rotates the mechanism in the speedo head to operate the odometer and speedometer. ⁴⁾

This was not used on 1958 XLC or XLCH.
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The speedometer drive unit goes into the hole in the lower right side of the transmission beside the oil pump.
The pic on the right shows the drive unit as installed from the inside.
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Staring down a problem with the speedometer not working can be catastrophic when visualizing the possible causes and particularly the effects thereof.
Also, if you're not going to use the OEM speedo drive, then remove it and plug the hole. That freewheeling drive has been known to destroy the trans and engine case. ¹⁰⁾
Just unscrew it and screw in a plug. Colony makes a Speedometer Drive Block-Off Plug (2057-2) for K Models and XLs.

This..	Yields that….This particular incident luckily didn't hurt any engine parts
Broken teeth on bent speedo drive unit 11)	Metal pieces in case behind trap door 12)	Busted teeth on tranny 13)

The speedometer drive unit was moved to the front wheel, right side, in 1973. 1970-1973 XLH, XLCH used Veglia (Italian made) instruments. And the 73 drive unit (67127-73) was also from Veglia. In 1974, the MoCo started using Nippon Seiki (Japan) gauges and drive units. The new drive unit didn't have the grease fitting as did the 73 unit but has the same part number as in 73, and retrofitting to 73 models for replacement. The unit has a .300“ wide seal spacer.

Common Issues:
The unit fits on the axle, somewhat like a spacer, with a small tang that fits into the hub to keep the outer assembly from spinning. If the tab doesn't seat into the hole in the hub correctly, it can come loose and scrape against the hub as it turns and stop the speedometer from working.

The front wheel speedo drive unit contains two small meshed gears and some grease. The gears can come loose or receive wear. The grease can get sand etc in it, etc etc. This wil also affect the accuracy of the speedometer. Easiest way to fix that is to just replace the unit. You could try to make it work by removing and refurbishing it but they do not really come apart without wrecking it. ¹⁴⁾

There is also an internal threaded stub on the drive unit for the speedometer cable to screw into. The cable end has a male threaded nipple made to it that screws into the female threads on the drive unit stub. The threaded stub should not wiggle or have any slack that would allow the cable to wiggle at this connection or it will alter the speedometer readings.

The drive unit is not considered servicable and it should get periodically lubed when you lube the speedometer cable. However, if you rarely lube that cable, the drive unit doesn't get lubed either. There is a little wire clip ring that holds the rotating cover with the finger snuggly to the body of the unit but the cover won't come all the way off. However, there is enough room gained with the clip removed to repack the unit with grease. You can clean the unit out with brake cleaner, blow it out with compressed air and drop a couple drops of some lube (75-140 transmission fluid?) in it. Spin it around a couple times to distribute the oil, repacked it with wheel bearing grease and reassembled it with a new outer gasket. ¹⁵⁾

You have to remove the axle to replace the drive unit since the axle slides thru the forks/wheel from the right.

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If you're planning to use a post 1970 speedometer head on a pre 1970 bike; ¹⁹⁾
Use the -70 cable if you're using the Veglia head and a transmission mounted speedometer drive unit.
Use the -73 cable if you're using the Veglia head and a disc brake front wheel speedometer drive unit.
You'll need to make a custom cable if you are using a Nippon Seiki speedometer head.

There is a 11/16”x20 hex head hole plug (24575-52) for 1958-1972 XLCH's not running a speedometer.
It gets installed in place of the speedometer drive gear unit in the lower rear of the right case.
²⁰⁾

You'll have to remove the drive unit and replace it with a spacer to keep the integrity of the assembly.

There is no down side of removing the drive other than losing the drive cable to the speedometer (as long as you use an equal length spacer in it's place).
The bearing “end play” is set by the Hub Spacer length (and the thickness of the shims, if used). The speedo drive unit (on the axle) can be removed as long as you replace it with a spacer of the same width as the drive unit. In some cases, there are spacers inside the oil seals, just wide enough to make it outside the seal, and then another spacer (external bearing spacer) outside the seal sets the positioning of the wheel (relative to the fork leg). In other cases, like the speedo drive unit, it may include both the external spacer for positioning and the internal (inside the oil seal) spacer in the one unit. ²¹⁾

In the end, you have (from the head side of the axle):
The oil seal spacer,
The inner bearing race,
The hub spacer,
The other inner bearing race,
The other oil seal spacer
And finally, the external bearing spacer (that sets the position of the rotor in the caliper and should make the tire centered between the forks).
This sandwich of parts are all clamped together by the axle. None of those parts rotate.
The wheel rotates because the outer bearing race (fitted into the wheel hub cavity) rotates around the stationary inner bearing race.
As long as you use an external bearing spacer of equivalent width (length) to the speedo drive unit, the rotor and tire should maintain their positioning.

Spacer Alternatives to replace the now removed drive unit:
You can cut the outer race off of old wheel bearings and use just the inner race as spacer. It can be trimmed shorter if needed, or add washers to the outside for more length. But they are the perfect size to mate with the inner race of the week bearing and are the right inside diameter to fit the axle. ²²⁾

Or you can buy spacers made for this job.
These are dims from VulcanWorks for the spacers they sell for just this reason. They call them Speedometer Drive Eliminator Spacers.
If you have the OEM part number of your drive unit, they list it along with the dimensions and they are cheap enough. Made from 1214 alloy steel & satin chrome plated, 1-1/8“ OD by 3/4” ID. These are made for 3/4“ Timken bearing wheels, with a hard coat finish so they can be used as wheel seal adapters.
Here is the link to their site: https://secure.vulcanworks.net/store/speedometer-drive-eliminator-spacers-speedo-harley.html

Here are the dims from their site along with part numbers. All of these are not made for Sportsters. But if you do a search for the part number of the drive unit… to buy one… you may get several different dims from several different companies for the same part number drive unit. Maybe the dims below will help some.

Spacer Length	Drive Unit Spacer Replaces	Notes
0.531”	67073-81	1981-1984 FL, 1982-1986 FLT / FLHT. Right side drive has no seal spacer.
0.93“	67127-84, 67127-84A	1984-1995 FXR, 1984-1994 Sportster. Left side drive has .350” wide seal spacer
0.94“	67132-85A	1987-95 FXLR. Left side drive has .321” wide seal spacer. Drive is for a 2240:60 ratio
0.79“	67127-73	1973-E1984 FX / FXR (Except 1980 FXWG & FX), 1973-1983 XL / XLH, 1979-1983 XLS / XLX. Right side drive has .300” wide seal spacer ( .268“ per V-Twin). Drive unit is for a 2:1 ratio.
1.248”	67101-96	1996-1999 FLHT / FLHR. Left side drive has .442“ wide seal spacer. Drive unit is for a 2240:60 ratio.
1.28”	67166-88, 67073-87A	1987-1995 FLT / FLHT / FLHTC / FLHTCUI / FLTCU and 1996 FLTCUI Left side drive has .440“ wide seal spacer. Drive unit is for a 2240:60 ratio.
1.41”	67120-84B	1984-1995 FXWG / FXST / FXDWG w/ 21“ wheel. Left side drive has .574” wide seal spacer. Drive unit is for a 2240:60 ratio.
1.49“ (Vulcan) 1.426” (V-Twin)	67125-86A	1986-1995 FLSTN, FLSTC / FLSTF w/ 16“ wheel. Left side drive has .608” wide seal spacer. Drive unit is for a 2240:60 ratio.
	67124-80	1980 FX w/ 19“ wheel (except FXWG). Right side drive has .250” wide seal spacer. kilometers per hour only (does not work for MPH 23)

The first mention of a tach used on a Sportster is the L1962 XLCH per the -63 parts catalog.
Several tach kits were sold in 1965 for current and prior model XLH models per the -66 parts catalog supplement.

Year Model	Tach	Notes
L1962- XLCH	92051-62	Part of Tach Kit (92050-62) mounted on handlebars. (Smith)
1962-1964 XLCH	92051-65	Part of Tach Conversion Kit (92050-62A), replaces (92051-62)
1965-1966 XLCH	92051-65	Part of Tach Kit (92058-59) mounts speedometer and tach to forks on 1959-1965 XLCH
1967-1969 XLCH	92051-65	Part of Tach Kit (92057-67)
1957-1964 XLH	92051-65	Part of retro Tach Kit (92049-57) in 1963
E1965 XLH	92051-62	Part of Tach Kit (92049-65)
	92051-62A	Replaced 92051-62 with Tach Kit (92050-62A)
L1965-1966 XLH	92051-65	Part of Tach Kit (92049-65A)
1967-1969 XLH	92051-65	Part of Tach Kit (92048-67)
1970 XLH/XLCH	92059-70	Part of Tach Kit (92048-70). Made by Veglia (Italy)
1971-1973 XLH/XLCH	92051-70	Part of Tach Kit (92048-71) Made by Veglia (Italy)
1974 XLH/XLCH	92051-74	Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1975-1976 XLH/XLCH	92051-74A	Retro to 1974. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1977-1979 XLH/XLCH	92051-74B	Retro to 1974. Replaced by 92051-75D. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1979 XLS	92053-79	With bracket. Replaced by 92053-79A. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1980 XL	92051-75D	With bracket. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1980 XLS	92053-79A	With bracket. Supersedes 92053-79. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1981-1982 XL/XLS	92051-81	Electronic. Replaced by 92051-81A. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1983 XL	92051-81A	Electronic. Replaced 92051-81. Made by Nippon Seiki (Japan)
1983-1984 XLS	92060-83	Electronic, complete w/ bracket
1983 XLS	92059-83	Electronic, w / bulb and socket
1983 XLS	92060-83	Electronic, complete
E1984 XL	67111-83	Speedometer and Elect Tach Kit (67099-84)
L1984-1985 XL	67111-85	Speedometer and Elect Tach Kit (67099-85)
1985 XLS	92059-85	Electronic, w / bulb and socket
1985 XLS	92060-85	Electronic, complete w/ bracket

The tach drive gear unit (92097-71) for 71-80 models screws into the cam cover between #3 and #4 cams.
A worm type gear is pressed onto #4 cam that drives the tach drive gear unit. Both gears on the cam and tach drive have 11 teeth.
So there is a 1:1 ratio between these two gears.
However, the cam turns 1 revolution per every 2 TDC revolutions of the front piston leaving a 2:1 ratio at the tachometer head.
The drive unit gets a washer gasket (67142-52) on top for the threaded coupler on the cable connecting the drive unit to the tach head.

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If you are not using the tach, you can remove the drive unit and plug the hole.

L1962-1969 XLCH tach plug (92077-62) is used to plug the hole at the magneto.
The plug is pushed into the hole and it has an O-ring (11110) on the end.

1971-E1984 Sportsters can use the Colony plug below to plug the hole in the cam cover.
Just unscrew the drive and screw in the plug (with seal washer).
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Head Temp Gauge (75002-69) became available through the -70 Sportster parts catalog (among other models) as part of Kit# (75000-69) and also sold by itself.
Made for +12V systems from 1965-1976.
The gauge signal comes from a sending unit (75005-69) attached to the front head with a thin nut (7692) and wired with a cable assembly (75003-69).
The gauge sits inside a handlebar mounted bullet style housing (74479-68) with a bezel (74472-68).
The assembly mounts to the handlebar with mounting bracket (74484-68) and handlebar clamp (45030-65A).

Head Temp Gauge (75002-77) was for use on 1977-1981 Sportsters. It has an illuminated face and measures temps 200-500F (95-260C).
Per IronMick, to install the sending unit for the gauge, you drill a hole in the top fin of the front cylinder head (left side). ³³⁾
Then insert the threaded part of the sender into the hole. The special nut is thin enough to fit between the two fins.

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1977-1978 XLH, XLCH got a volt meter (74432-77). The part number was updated in the -78B parts catalog to (74432-77A).
It has a black face, is app. 2“ in diameter, 2.3” wide bezel, 2“ long and reads +10 to +16 volts.

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• In late 1977, shorter bolts were used to mount the headlight bracket to allow it to be installed or removed with the handlebars clamped in place. The shorter bolt also allows for the mounting of the headlight bracket after mounting the speedometer / tachometer bracket underneath the handlebar upper clamp which provides easy access to the wiring connections at the headlight terminal block.
• The shorter bolts 5/16”x18 1-1/8“ (43868-72) replaced the longer 5/16”x18 1-1/4“ bolts (2871W). The longer bolts can also be shortened for this application. ³⁹⁾

(1973-85 Simple Turn Signal Function)
These model years HD implemented a basic turn signal circuit using a bi-metallic, current/heat-controlled, Turn Signal Flasher Unit similar to those in automobiles. The 12v power wire feeds thru the Flasher and then goes to the handlebar switches. The Left or Right handlebar turn signal switch could be pressed to feed the power to the bulbs on that side of the bike. When connected to the bulbs, thus completing the circuit, the Flasher unit would supply power until the current flowing through it would heat the bi-metallic elements sufficiently to cause a break (like a circuit breaker) in the circuit. Once the flasher cooled down, the bi-metallic elements would again conduct power to the turn signal bulbs, thus causing an on-off cycle that repeated until the handlebar switch was released.

From 1973-1981, the handlebar TS switches were small pushbuttons. They were momentary contact. The turn signal only stayed flashing while the button was depressed.
From 1982-1985, the handlebar TS housings were changed, creating a larger TS button. The switches were still momentary contact, working only while the button was depressed.

• (Converting to LEDs) - Because of the way these bikes were wired, you can replace the single current/heat-activated flasher with a new electronic flasher that is capable of properly flashing LEDs or Incandescent bulbs. However, the indicator light may need to be modified by grounding one side and feeding power from the right and left circuits thru diodes to the power side of the indicator.

From a service bulletin in 1961:
Different flasher modules have different characteristics. It is important to use the appropriate one when replacing them. For instance:

• Flasher (68543-61) was originally used for directional signals with 21 candlepower to the front and rear lamps (6872-50) and 1 candlepower pilot lamps (71090-47). If any of the signal bulbs burn out, the pilot lamp in the same circuit will remain on.⁴⁰⁾ Flasher (68543-61A) was the replacement for directional signals. ⁴¹⁾
• Flasher (68542-61) is used for pursuit lamps or other flashing lamps which use either one or two 32 candlepower lamps (68715-49).⁴²⁾

Year model	Part #	Used For	Markings	Application Voltage	Notes
1957-E1963	68543-61	Directional signals	N 221-6V	6	3-prongs: X (hot), L (switched), P (not used)
1957-1965	68543-61A	Directional signals	143-12V	6	Replaced 68543-61 in L1963. Disregard the 12V markings per HD. 2 prongs: X (hot), L (switched)
	68542-61	Pursuit lamps	F 421-6V	6

1968 and 1969 XLH got a Flasher Kit (68541-68). 1970-1972 XLH/XLCH got Flasher Kit (68540-70). 1973-1975 XLH/XLCH got Flasher Kit (68540-73).

Hazard Flasher Kit (68540-70)……… Click Here to download the instruction sheet.
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• Pics and Information on 1965-1985 Ironhead Horns
• Rebuilding the stock 1965-up Delco Remy Horn

The twin horn kits consist of the factory (low note) horn used together with the (high note) horn.

Sportster 12V Twin Horn Kits and Parts
Year Model	Horn Part#	Horn Mtg. Bracket	Rubber Mount Bracket	Inner Support Bracket	Horn Cover	Horn Cover Spacer	Horn Ground Strap	Horn Bumper Bracket
69003-70 (70-E76) XLH/XLCH	69001-70 (high A note)	69117-65 (2)	69125-65 (2)	10026 (2)	69138-65 and 69141-70	69114-65	70016-65A (2)
69003-76 (L76- XL/XLCH	69016-76 (high A note)	69117-65 (2)	69125-65 (2)	10026 (2)	69140-76 and 69017-76	69114-65	70016-65A (2)